News

ORICA-SCOTT wrap up Emakumeen XXX Bira with second and third overall

ORICA-SCOTT concluded the final stage of the Emakumeen XXX Bira tour today with second and third place from Annemiek van Vleuten and Katrin Garfoot respectively.

After already achieving three different rider stage victories this week, ORICA-SCOTT began the final stage with Garfoot leading the overall standing.

However, a challenging first category climb proved to be the defining moment of the tour as Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (Cervelo-Bigla) attacked to take a solo stage victory and steal the general classification lead in the final moments by just 10seconds ahead of van Vleuten with Garfoot finishing in third place overall.

Despite not coming away with the overall race victory, sport director Gene Bates remained positive and was pleased with the team’s performance throughout the five-day tour, having achieved the goals they set, of a stage win and a podium finish.

“We knew it was going to be a really big task to win today and keep the overall lead,” Bates explained. “Moolman is arguably one of the best climbers in the world, so to finish the race off with a first category climb was a challenge for us.”

“I think the girls did a really great job of maintaining their distance, they only lost 20seconds over the top of the climb but unfortunately couldn’t quite bring it back on the descent.

“We achieved both of our targets this week, but more than anything I think the way the girls rode together as a team was exceptional. Probably the best we have seen all year.

“It is also a really positive sign that a lot of the girls are climbing better than they have before. We still have a lot more work to put in before we head to the hillier tours like the Giro Rosa, but we can certainly take a lot of positives away from this week.”

How it happened:

The final stage of the five-day Basque tour began steady with a third category climb and a first category climb ahead of the riders in the second half of the 95kilometre stage.

After 50kilometres of racing five riders established a lead, but like yesterday’s stage, they posed no real threat to the overall standing and were given freedom to dangle ahead of the bunch.

As the peloton passed over the third category climb one rider, Shani Bloch-Davido (Team VéloConcept), remained ahead of the peloton with a 40second lead as she entered the final 40kilometres of the stage.

Eventually she was also swallowed up by the peloton as the pace in the bunch increased on the approach to the gnarly first category climb.

Determined to shake up the overall standings, climber Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (Cervelo-Bigla) attacked as the race entered the steep slopes of the final climb and successfully stayed away to the finish, to take the stage victory just13seconds ahead of van Vleuten and 38seconds ahead of Garfoot.

ORICA-SCOTT wrap up their successful week of racing, achieving three stage victories, second and third place overall along with winning the team classification.